He said the only way all sporting codes, not just rugby league, can sufficiently prevent such injuries is to outlaw tackles in which a player's legs are lifted from the ground and their body inverted.

"While McKinnon's case was a rare accident, it was one that could happen to a player taking to the field at any level," Marino said in a statement yesterday.

"This tragic accident should not be seen as something that is par for the course in contact sports - gone are the days when a player would take to the field despite knowing there a significant risk of serious injury.

"The only way we are going to see less of these types of terrible accidents will be to make safety the priority when making rules or considering rule changes - a ban on the lift tackle reflects this."